Palm Beach International Airport

Palm Beach International Airport (IATA: PBI; ICAO: KPBI), commonly known as PBI, is the primary commercial airport serving West Palm Beach and the broader Palm Beach County, Florida. The airport is located 2.5 miles west of downtown West Palm Beach and just 3.5 miles west of Palm Beach. It is the third busiest airport in the Miami metropolitan area after Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Serving more than 8 million passengers annually, PBI consistently earns top rankings from Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler as one of the best airports in the United States. From its origins as a modest grass airstrip in the mid-1930s, the airport has grown into a full-service facility connecting South Florida to dozens of domestic and select international destinations.

Origins and Early History

Commercially, PBI began in 1936 when it was known as Morrison Field. It was named for Miss Grace K. Morrison, who was a pioneer in the early planning and organizing which culminated in the establishment of the field. The airport was officially dedicated on December 19, 1936. The inaugural airline flight was made by a New York-bound Eastern Air Lines DC-2 in 1936.

In 1937, the airport expanded beyond an airstrip and an administration building when the Palm Beach Aero Corporation obtained a lease, built hangars and the first terminal on the south side of the airport. The new terminal was known as the Eastern Air Lines Terminal. At this early stage, the airport primarily served a single carrier and catered to the seasonal tourism trade that had long defined Palm Beach County's economy.

Throughout the 1940s, only Eastern Air Lines and National served West Palm Beach. Despite its modest carrier lineup, the field was rapidly becoming a more consequential facility — one that would soon be called upon to serve a very different purpose.

World War II and Military Use

The onset of World War II transformed Morrison Field from a quiet regional airstrip into a strategically critical military installation. The field was used by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Morrison Field was used for training and later as a staging base for the Allied invasion of France, with numerous aircraft departing Morrison en route to the United Kingdom to take part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Morrison Field was also a stopover for flights to and from India, via Brazil and West Africa.

In 1947, the newly established U.S. Air Force returned ownership of Morrison Field to Palm Beach County. The name was then changed to Palm Beach International Airport one year later, in 1948. The County decided that for long-term business and tourism growth, it should capitalize on the value of an internationally known name such as Palm Beach. On August 11, the Board of County Commissioners voted to officially change the name from Morrison Field to Palm Beach International Airport.

The airport's relationship with the military did not end there. In September 1951, during the Korean War, the Air Force reactivated Morrison Air Force Base. Civilian operations and the passenger terminal were once again relocated to the south side of the field, first in a hangar and then in an adjacent building. Nearly 23,000 airmen trained in West Palm Beach during the Korean conflict. After the war, the federal government attempted to make the airport a permanent military base, but in 1959 Palm Beach County took over operations; ownership of the 2,000-acre airport was officially transferred in 1960.

Post-War Growth and Terminal Development

With military operations finally concluded, the airport entered a sustained period of civilian expansion. The first permanent terminal, on Southern Boulevard, cost nearly $125,000 to build in 1953, when only Eastern, National, and a few small airlines served West Palm Beach. But the county's needs quickly outgrew the building and were more evident during President John F. Kennedy's visits on Air Force One from 1960–1963.

During the early 1960s, Palm Beach County officials considered building a large regional jetport 20 miles west of downtown West Palm Beach. County residents opposed the proposal in a 1963 referendum, choosing to keep their old airport. Plans were then made to improve the existing facilities at Palm Beach International Airport. On October 29, 1966, the main terminal at PBI was dedicated.

In 1974, Delta Air Lines constructed the airport's second main terminal, costing $2 million and equipped with six gates, PBI's first jetways, and its own baggage claim and ticketing areas. The introduction of jetway-equipped gates represented a significant modernization for the facility and helped attract additional carriers. Several airlines added regular service to West Palm Beach in 1978, due to deregulation of the airline industry. Eastern, National, and United shared their gates and ticket counters with them, and United Airlines added a concourse shortly thereafter.

In 1988, the terminals handled 2 million passengers and were operating well beyond their design capacity. This rapid growth necessitated a complete overhaul of the airport's infrastructure.

The David McCampbell Terminal

On October 23, 1988, the David McCampbell Terminal was officially dedicated, named for World War II naval flying ace, Medal of Honor winner and Palm Beach County resident David McCampbell. Funded with about $150 million in revenue bonds, it had twice the number of gates (25), and potential for 24 more. The 600,000-square-foot terminal includes a two-story concession mall, which runs the entire length of the building.

The current terminal was opened in 1988 and in 2003 it was voted among the finest in the nation by readers of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine. The terminal's relatively compact and well-organized footprint has become one of its most celebrated features, enabling passengers to move from curbside to gate in far less time than at larger regional airports.

Today, Palm Beach International Airport has one terminal, which consists of 31 gates (27 jetway gates, 4 hardstands) and three concourses. Concourse A contains four gates (numbered A1–A4), and serves Allegiant Air, Avelo Airlines, and Bahamasair. Concourse B contains 13 gates (numbered B1–B12, B14), and serves Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, and United Airlines. Concourse C contains 14 gates (numbered C1–C12, C14, C16), and serves Air Canada, Breeze Airways, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Porter Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. A future Concourse D is proposed, to be constructed off the east side of the terminal.

Facilities, Operations, and Access

Palm Beach International Airport is a mixed-use airport located on the east coast of Florida, between the cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth. The traffic mix at PBI consists of air carriers, corporate, and general aviation. The airport serves numerous air carriers and the largest runway is 10,000 feet long by 150 feet wide. The airport configuration consists of parallel runways 10L/R–28L/R along with Runway 14/32. There is a 24-hour FAA air traffic control tower located at the airport, and the airport is located within Class C airspace.

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol facility can handle 300 passengers per hour and aircraft up to the size of a B747-400. Customs and immigration services for international flights are located on the lower level on the west side of the terminal and can be accessed by gates on both Concourses A and B.

The Palm Beach County Department of Airports operates and maintains PBI, the Palm Beach Park Airport in Lantana, Palm Beach County Glades Airport in Pahokee, and the North County Airport on the Bee Line Highway, north of PGA Boulevard. Road access to PBI is convenient for residents throughout the county. PBI is adjacent to I-95 and easily accessible from anywhere in Palm Beach County. Boca Raton is approximately 20 miles south, and Jupiter is only 15 miles north.

PBI is working to modernize the airport and improve the passenger experience by undertaking several multi-million dollar projects. These ongoing capital improvements reflect the airport's continued growth and its role as an essential gateway for both business and leisure travel in South Florida.

Awards and Recognition

PBI has accumulated a notable record of passenger satisfaction accolades in recent years. PBI continues to enjoy many awards, including being named 3rd Best U.S. Airport in Travel + Leisure Magazine's 2024 World's Best Awards. Other awards include 5th Best Airport in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards and 5th Best Medium Airport in the 2025 J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Survey. PBI continues to exceed expectations of checkpoint wait times, being ranked #1 across the U.S. for the shortest overall wait times at TSA checkpoints. Most recently, Upgraded Points named PBI the #1 Airport in the U.S. for International Holiday Travel.

These distinctions set PBI apart from the region's larger neighboring airports and have helped reinforce its reputation as one of the most passenger-friendly airports in the southeastern United States. The airport's manageable size, combined with consistently short security queues, has made it a preferred departure point for many Palm Beach County residents who could otherwise choose to drive to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport or Miami International Airport.